Record number of letters on deer hunting issue in Weston

Friday

May 10, 2013 at 12:01 AMMay 10, 2013 at 10:18 AM

The Weston Board of Health would like to give full support to the Weston Conservation Commission’s Deer Management Program, incorporating controlled bow and arrow deer hunting to reduce the deer population. This is a potentially important environmental intervention in the control of tick-borne disease, and Lyme disease in particular.

Board of Health supports hunting program

TO THE EDITOR:

The Weston Board of Health would like to give full support to the Weston Conservation Commission’s Deer Management Program, incorporating controlled bow and arrow deer hunting to reduce the deer population.

This is a potentially important environmental intervention in the control of tick-borne disease, and Lyme disease in particular.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Lyme Disease Surveillance report shows Massachusetts as one of the states with the highest incidence of Lyme disease. It is important to realize reported rates vary between years, and limitations to the surveillance process make it difficult to interpret these variations as true increases or decreases in disease incidence, as cautioned on the CDC website.

It is, however, clear from the CDC data that Lyme disease is endemic to Massachusetts. In addition, Lyme disease is considerably under reported and the true incidence of Lyme disease in Massachusetts may be at least 10-fold greater than reported.

The commonwealth of Massachusetts has recognized the significance of tick-borne diseases to state residents, and in 2011 a Special Commission to Conduct an Investigation and Study of the Incidence and Impacts of Lyme Disease was formed. This commission released a report of its findings on Feb. 28, 2013. The Weston Board of Health encourages interested citizens to read this report, which can be found on the state’s website (www.malegislature.gov/Content/Documents/Committees/H46/LymeDiseaseCommissionFinalReport-2013-02-28.pdf).

The report emphasizes the importance of an integrated approach of both short-term and long-term preventive strategies for preventing Lyme disease, including vaccine development, public and physician education, and environmental controls, along with the provision of the necessary funding to support these important initiatives.

Specific preventive measures include repellent use and regular tick checks, public education on the recognition of symptoms of tick bite disease that should prompt immediate evaluation by a health care provider, habitat modification where possible, and enhanced deer management.

Environmental interventions are necessary in the prevention of tick-borne diseases. Lyme disease has resulted from habitat changes that have occurred over many years in Massachusetts and other states with a high prevalence of Lyme disease. These changes have been accompanied by the expansion in the density and distribution of white-tailed deer, the primary host for the adult deer tick responsible for the spread of Lyme disease.

The deer tick goes through stages of maturation that include larvae and nymph forms that feed on small animals such as mice, birds, squirrels and chipmunks, but only the adult tick is reproductive. Control measures directly targeting the reduction of the adult deer tick is most important and necessary.

Insecticide use can be effective, but requires special considerations regarding safety and current laws restricting widespread use. Programs delivering an effective insecticide directly through the deer host require intense, repeated application, are likely to result in resistant ticks, and are currently considered cost prohibitive. Thus, as stated in the state commission report, the only environmental factor over which we have any possible control is deer density.

Studies have demonstrated that controlled bow hunting is one of the most effective and safe deer management strategies to reduce deer density in suburban communities. The Weston Board of Health recognizes the potential importance of the Conservation Commission’s controlled bow hunting deer reduction program, and we applaud the comprehensive assessment and safety measures they built into this program. We encourage the town of Weston to continue to support this program. – Nicholas Guerina, MD, chairman, David Kominz, MD, and Peter Taylor, Weston Board of Health

ConCom asks for support for deer management

TO THE EDITOR:

1. Why did the Conservation Commission initiate bow hunting on public land?

Wildlife biologists estimate there are 25 deer per square mile in our region, a number consistent with the impacts we have seen in Weston. Optimal numbers to minimize harm to humans, ground-nesting birds, wildflowers, and forest is closer to 10 per square mile. That is our long-term goal, but our more immediate goal is to slow and then stop the rise in deer population.

Weston’s deer overpopulation harms the forest understory and the animals that live in it, spreads Lyme disease, causes substantial damage to crops and ornamental plantings, and leads to deer-car collisions. Bow hunting is the only practical solution to this problem.

2. Does deer density affect Lyme disease?

The February 2013 State Lyme Disease Commission (LDC) report concluded that deer are “the main reproductive host of the deer tick.” Deer are not carriers of Lyme disease, but they are critical to the tick life cycle. DNA analysis of blood ingested by ticks showed that 94 percent of adult ticks took their final blood meal from a deer.

Reducing deer to 10 per square mile in Weston would reduce the density of ticks and might help reduce Lyme infections. Bow hunting is not a panacea for tick-borne diseases, but it is an important part of the long-term strategy recommended by the LDC.

3. Has Lyme disease “declined dramatically”?

The State Lyme Disease Commission reported the incidence of tick-borne disease “is on the rise, both numerically and geographically.”

Lyme disease is under-reported, because laboratory testing is not routine, reliable, nor easily interpretable. Clinical diagnosis is often not reported to the state Department of Public Health (DPH). The DPH itself estimates a five- to 10-fold under-reporting rate for Lyme disease. The CDC’s numbers are no better because they are based on reports from the DPH.

No public health official claims that Lyme disease has “declined dramatically.”

4. Have deer-car collisions decreased to the point that they are not a concern?

The number of reported deer-car collisions in Weston peaked in 2000, at 41. Since 2010, reported deer collisions have been in the 20s. This decline is good news, and may mean that both drivers and deer are becoming more cautious.

Deer-car collisions tend to be single-car accidents that the Federal Highway Administration estimates are not reported in more than 70 percent of cases. Many animals that are injured wander away from the road and suffer greatly before they die. We believe that many more than 24 deer were killed by cars in Weston last year.

For as long as Massachusetts has kept records, there has never been a report of an injury to a non-hunter during bow hunting season.

Bow hunting is safe because the effective range of a bow is very short (generally not more than 25 yards) and the hunter must have a clear view of the deer at close range to take a shot. From a stand, the trajectory of the arrow is downwards. No arrows can be discharged from the ground, and few arrows are lost.

The Conservation Commission places the highest priority on safety, and carefully controls who is allowed to hunt, and where and how they are allowed to hunt.

2. Is hunting allowed in nearby towns?

Our immediate neighbors do not currently have bow hunting on town land. However, bow hunting is taking place successfully on private land in Weston, Lincoln, Natick and Wayland. Nearby towns, including Sudbury, Framingham, Medfield, Dover and Andover, have opened town lands to hunting without mishap or conflict with other users. Suburban bow hunting must expand if it is to effectively control the deer population.

3. Can hunting have a measurable impact on the number of deer in Weston?

Wildlife biologists have told us that reducing the herd by about 100 deer annually, including those killed by automobiles, would eventually bring Weston’s deer population to sustainable levels.

In 2012, hunters on private and public lands combined took a total of 36 deer. At least another 24 were killed by cars, for a total of at least 60 deer. This number is enough to slow the rate of growth.

Each of the 10 does killed on town land would likely have had twins this spring. As a result, another 20 or so animals were prevented from joining Weston’s herd.

4. Will hunting in Weston cause a “compensatory rebound effect”?

A “rebound effect” only happens after culling a deer herd that has a reduced birthrate because it is already stressed and starving. Our deer herd, on the contrary, is below biological carrying capacity and is likely to increase until it reaches a density at least two to four times what it is today, if the experience of hundreds of similar towns in Connecticut and New Jersey is any indication.

There is plenty for deer to eat in Weston. Hunting cannot increase deer fertility because Weston’s does are already having twins each spring. In fact, their abundant fertility is the problem.

5. Will deer from surrounding towns be drawn into Weston?

Yes, deer will migrate into Weston from surrounding towns. Deer management should be a regional effort by all towns, and that is what is happening as more towns adopt bow hunting.

The fact of deer migration between towns is one of the reasons that the commission believes that contraception will not work as a method of population control. One contraception expert stated that “immunocontraception is not designed for truly wild deer in large open forests.” Rather, immunocontraception is a tool for an urban deer population, where hunting is not possible and where deer are tame. In Weston, we have forests and our deer are still wild. Immunocontraception is not the right tool to manage Weston’s deer.

We in Weston are blessed to have more than 2,000 acres of town-owned conservation land. This wonderful land is used daily and in all seasons by families, hikers, birdwatchers and pets.

This past fall, public lands were opened for the first time to hunters. Weston Deer Friends is opposed to the use of our land by hunters.

Who hunts in Weston?

Twenty-six hunters were given permits for hunting in Weston, only six of whom are Weston residents. Twenty-six hunters had use of many acres of our town conservation land for three of the most beautiful months of the year, October through December.

What weapons are used for hunting in Weston?

Not the wooden bows and arrows from movie westerns, these are high-tech metal weapons that powerfully propel arrows with long, razor sharp blades. Arrows can be shot the length of a football field. While a hunter in his stand shoots in a downward trajectory, the deer are often wounded and travel, necessitating horizontal shooting. The blades on the arrows are dangerous to any children or pets who may encounter them in our town lands.

Is bow hunting safe?

The issue of safety cannot be undervalued. We all want to feel safe in our town, on our streets and in our forests. The perception of danger from hunting may have kept Weston residents from using our conservation land during hunting season. There were several incidents in which wounded deer were seen by children in their yards. Weston Deer Friends wants to stop hunting on our town lands before a person, or a pet, or other animal is injured by hunting.

Do our neighboring towns allow hunting on public land?

Hunting is forbidden on public land in every single town neighboring Weston – Lincoln, Wayland, Natick, Wellesley, Newton and Waltham. Weston is the only one to allow hunting on public land. Weston is known for many things, fine schools and our scenic roads among them. Do we want to be known as the suburban hunting destination?

Can hunting in Weston have a measureable impact on the town’s deer population?

The killing of 18 deer in a season is not a population management program, it is recreational hunting. There is reliable data that suggests a “compensatory rebound effect’ in which multiple births and increased fertility and better survival rates follow periods of hunting. The population spike is supported by regrowth in foliage.

The Conservation Commission says they plan to lobby surrounding towns to allow hunting. Is this how we wish our Conservation Commission to expend their efforts, by promoting hunting?

How can we learn more about the issues surrounding hunting in Weston?

Weston Deer Friends invites residents to watch rebroadcasts of an informational forum called “Living with Deer and Without Lyme Disease” on the Weston channel.

How can we stop hunting in Weston?

Please come to Town Meeting on May 13 to vote “ yes” to ban hunting on Weston’s public lands. Our fields and forests belong to all of us. – Alicia Primer, Weston Deer Friends

Stay with bow hunting for few more years

TO THE EDITOR:

My name is Fred Campbell. I was born on Glen Road in Weston in 1923, and will probably die on Glen Road hopefully no sooner than 2023.

Having had Lyme disease on two separate occasions, I attended the meeting held at the library on May 1, where the Weston deer problem was to be discussed. I attended as a listener and learned a lot.

There were three separate very professional presentations concerning the subject matter which I’ve summarized as follows:

The first presentation covered the life cycle of the deer tick, which starts with a white-footed mouse as its host and ends up as an adult on a deer. Being brought up on one of the estates in Weston, I’ve known about mice, raccoons, skunks, opossums, dogs, fox, etc., but I’ve never had Lyme disease nor did Weston have deer, so I drew some of my own conclusions.

The next presenter concentrated on controlling and living with the deer based on the generally accepted fact that they congregate and live in areas where the habitat will support the population. This can be accomplished by fencing (stationary or electric), or spraying deer repellant as well other types of repellants such as certain soaps or fertilizer (I’ve been told milorganite, which is made from human waste, may work).

Additionally, there are various types of flowering plants that repel deer. Just remember, if you take measures to remove deer from your yard, your neighbors may not be very happy if they inherit your deer population unless they are doing the same thing.

Then it dawned on me. Why do we have so many deer, coyotes, fisher cats, etc. on the south side of town? It’s obvious, it’s zoning. We are abutted by Wellesley, Newton and Waltham, whose zoning does not support their deer population. Their deer have moved to Weston and will ultimately result in an increase in predators such as coyotes and fisher cats.

The third speaker whose talk dealt with contraception and birth control methods, while very interesting, was not practical for dealing with the problem at hand in terms of labor complexity and expense.

I personally think we should stay with bow hunting for the next two or three years, and then reevaluate.

In closing, while bow hunting may seem a cruel death, I, as a former snowmobiler who has seen many deer killed in the wild by coyotes, know that that is not an easy or painless death. – Fred Campbell, Glen Road

Reclaim forests for our residents

TO THE EDITOR:

The Weston Conservation Commission’s survey (this was very unscientific so who really knows what the correct number is?) indicates there are currently 25 deer per square mile in Weston. ConCom member Brian Donahue said they have a goal of lowering the number to 10 per square mile. That would require a lot of hunting!

So for all of you who don’t feel the impact of the bow hunters yet because you don’t live near the five parcels currently approved for hunting, beware! Unless you show up at Town Meeting to vote “yes” to end hunting on town land, bow hunters could end up in forests near your home. You will be seeing many more bow hunters up in the trees when you go hiking with your dogs and children on the town trails. More and more arrow-injured, dying deer will show up in back yards (I heard from several people who witnessed these disturbing sights this past fall).

The risk of human injury will climb as the number of hunters in tree stands increases. Do we really want Weston to become the local hunting range for bow hunters?

Let’s reclaim our forests for our residents. Please come to Town Meeting and vote “yes” to end hunting on Weston’s town land. For more information send an email (Westondeerfriends@gmail.com). – Diane Anderson, Kings Grant Road

Who hunts on conservation property?

TO THE EDITOR:

Last September I was selected to participate in the Weston conservation deer hunt. As a participant of this process, I partook in a proficiency archery shoot along with other selected hunters.

While there I met several people who also collaborated due to their appreciation for conservation, enjoyment of being outdoors, and hoping to harvest wild venison for meals throughout the year.

In their professional lives, these hunters ranged from doctors, professors, self-employed workers and public safety employees.

I have worked in public safety for 14 years as a police officer for the town of Monson, Mass. I was drawn to this profession because of my father, who was a member of the Weston Police Department for over 40 years.

Because of friendships my father developed though the years, my family has hunted deer in Weston since 1988 to present. All this time hunting has been without incident because safety and respect to adjacent landowners is paramount.

With my involvement in the Weston deer bow hunt came many emails from friends with articles written pertaining to concerns. One of the main issues was injured deer. I have my own personal rule for bow hunting. I won’t shoot at a game animal beyond 25 yards, although I am accurate at a greater distance. Most hunters set a maximum distance when releasing an arrow at game animals to greatly reduce the likelihood of wounding an animal.

Having been a deer hunter for 20 years, I have tried to peruse everything available to read about deer biology, habitat and behavior. I have read the Weston Conservation report regarding deer. I can say they have done a thorough investigation as to how to approach overpopulation of whitetail deer in Weston. Methods covered are:

1) Sharpshooters to remove surplus deer. This is not cost effective, costing tens of thousand of dollars and is a continued cost over many years.

2) Birth control – this is difficult and sometimes impossible to capture deer to employ this method. If captured, this adds much stress to the animal. Also, this is not a healthy option for the buck population (because of the rut process).

3) Hunting – this has nearly no cost, as hunter will remove surplus deer for free. This method has been proven all over North America (Duluth, Minn., is one example).

Hunters contribute more money to wildlife conservation than any other group.

Conservation practices have been so successful over the years that deer have exceeded their landscape capacity in some areas. When deer are overpopulated, they crowd small pockets of forest, devastating the undergrowth that provides food for deer and other animals. When this occurs, these deer are forced into suburban neighborhoods, which is less then ideal for whitetail deer.

Hunters in suburban areas recognize the importance of harvesting does, which assists in lowering the deer population.

I encourage all registered voters in Weston to participate at annual Town Meeting on Wednesday, May 15. – Brian Allenberg, Brimfield, Mass.

Finally some real facts

TO THE EDITOR:

I wish to thank Tamara Awerbuch Friedlander, Ph.D., from the Harvard School of Public Heath, Jay. F. Kirkpatrick, Ph.D., director of the Science and Conservation Center at the University of Montana, and Laura Simon, M.Sc, the wildlife biologist for the Humane Society of America.

On May 1, at the Weston Library, in a forum sponsored by Weston Deer Friends, each of these eloquent scientists provided compelling evidence, along with ample documentation, not that bow and arrow deer hunting can be inhumane, but rather that it is a totally and completely ineffective means to reduce the deer population.

All three speakers, each approaching the issue from their own distinctive angles, came to the same fundamental conclusion, namely that there is no evidence (none whatsoever) that deer hunting in areas such as ours will have any significant effect either in reducing the deer population, or in lowering the incidence of Lyme disease in our community.

All of us who attended this forum are grateful to Sonia Zighelboim, who put together this event, and to the Weston Deer Friends who sponsored it. Hurrah for them. Finally, some facts! Finally, some conclusive answers! – John McCarthy, Silver Hill Road

Continue bow hunting of deer

TO THE EDITOR:

This letter is in support of the Weston Conservation Commission’s initiative of opening town land for bow hunting of deer.

Deer hunting on open town land has been practiced for the last three years in Dover. Beginning with its 2010 pilot program, the Dover Board of Health implemented a Deer Management Plan (DMP) on open town land and in 2012 extended it to private properties.

The DMP is part of a multi-pronged approach to seek the reduction of tick-borne diseases in the town of Dover by education and deer management.

The Board of Health is continuously informing its residents of the available methods of personal protection against ticks, of property management to create tick-free zones, and of tick density reduction by deer density reduction.

The hunting project in Dover is based on state Department of Fish and Wildlife guidance, together with Dover-specific rules and regulations.

As in previous years, extensive signage was posted on trails and entrances to the properties selected for the DMP. During the hunting season of 2012, more than 60 qualified hunters were certified, with 58 participating in the DMP. In the 2012 hunting season, a total of 29 deer were culled – 11 bucks and 18 does, resulting in a hypothetical reduction of 65 deer assuming each doe to have one set of twins yearly.

Just as important, as in the two previous hunting seasons, there were no injuries or complaints reported to the Police Department, Board of Health, or the deer management agents. Similar to previous years, one illegal tree stand was found and removed.

We would like to commend Weston for joining Dover, Medfield, Sudbury and Framingham to permit bow hunting of deer on public lands. Because deer migrate across town borders, it is important this becomes a regional effort, and every new town is a welcome addition.

We urge Weston to keep the program in place for some years before reviewing its efficacy, since any efforts to significantly reduce tick density by reducing deer density are known to be long-term projects requiring many years.

We very much encourage the continuation of this program. – Barbara Roth-Schechter, Ph.D., chair, Dover Board of Health and Lyme Disease Committee

Return to mandate of protection

TO THE EDITOR:

Weston Deer Friends notes with interest that the Conservation Commission, in its own words, “subscribes to Aldo Leopold’s land conservation ethic.”

In a timely review of a new Leopold biography, the Saturday, May 4 issue of The Wall Street Journal describes Leopold as “rejoicing at the ‘unmistakable thud of the arrow striking flesh’” (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323982704578452880750643990.html?mod=wsj_valettop_email).

The Webster New World Dictionary defines conservation as “the official care and protection of natural resources.”

I am writing because of the recent drive to eliminate deer hunting in Weston. I find this most disturbing.

I am a physician at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, and I direct the Division of Gastroenterology at that institution. Two years ago, I contracted anaplasmosis from the deer that pass through my Weston backyard.

The major reason to trim the burgeoning deer population in Weston is that these deer are the major carriers of the ticks that cause important human diseases. The three most common deer-related infectious diseases that we see in ever-increasing numbers in the Boston area include Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis.

Individuals at highest risk for these diseases are people with occupations connected to the outdoors, and people who conduct recreation activities in or near wooded areas. This includes hunting, camping, hiking, gardening or just playing. These are areas through which deer pass and shed the ticks that bite human skin and transmit these diseases. It is as simple as this.

In Weston, you and your children are at risk for contracting these diseases from just sitting or playing in your own backyard.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease? Symptoms can start days or weeks after a tick bite. They can include a rash at the site of the previous tick bite, fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, heart rate disturbances, numbness and nerve pain. If a person is not treated, further symptoms can occur months to years after the bite. These include pain and swelling of joints, trouble with memory and thinking, and some skin problems. The effects can be long lasting.

Patients bitten by these ticks not only can contract Lyme disease, but also can acquire other infectious diseases like anaplasmosis or ehrlichiosis. Anaplasmosis can present with symptoms similar to Lyme disease, but also can lead to a severe impairment in your immune system, making you susceptible to other infectious diseases. The complications of ehrlichial infection include seizures and coma. There also can be renal, respiratory and heart failure.

Anaplasmosis or ehrlichiosis are serious diseases. People who develop these conditions have a 2 to 10 percent chance of dying from these conditions.

There are several things people can do to help reduce the risk of tick bites and development of these diseases. People can go out wearing tick repellants such as DEET. They can promptly examine themselves and their children after every outdoor adventure and remove ticks. Dressing in long-sleeve shirts and long pants can offer partial protection.

Deer are the major animal reservoir for the ticks that transmit these diseases. Thus, reducing the number of deer in Weston will go a long way in protecting you and your children from these dangerous diseases.

Therefore, do yourself, your children and your neighbors a favor. Vote no to the unwise and dangerous proposal that would ban deer hunting in Weston. – Joel Weinstock, Bakers Hill Road

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